Method of making cement fence-posts.



No. 703,644. I Patented July I, I902.

E. DAVIES.

IIETHOD OF'MAKING CEMENT FENCE POSTS.

(Application filed my 29, 1901-) (No lludel.)

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UNITED S T-Es.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD DAVIES, OF READING, MICHIGAN.

METHOD OF MAKING CEMENT FENCE-POSTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,644, dated July 1, 1902.

Application filed may 29,1901. ser al No- 6 2 385. (No specimens.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD DAVIES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Reading, in the county of Hillsdale and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Method of Making Cement Fence-Posts, of Whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of making cement fence-posts.

The object of theinvention is in-a certain, ready, and thoroughly practical manner and without addingto' the expense of the production of the post to preclude entrance of moisture to the post, whereby hardening will be accelerated and destruction due to disintegration from entrance of moisture will be effectively obviated.

A method heretofore commonly practiced for shielding the post from the action of moisture has been to dust the post while in the mold with cement, and this, by absorbing moisture from the post, will become associated therewith and form a film merely on one side thereof, orat most on a side, the edges, and two ends, thus leaving the remaining side unprotected. While a fence-post treated in this manner will be efiective for use in climates where there is but'little moistureand butlittle frost, yet in higher latitudes it would be practically inoperative for effective use, for the reasonthat if moisture enters or is taken up by the post. and this moisture becomes congealed by cold, disintegration of the post is inevitable. I

Under the procedure set forth in my inveIntion I provide a protecting envelop or film that entirely covers every particle of the exposed surface of the post, so that in the event" of its being set up before the interior is thor-- oughly dry it will still be protected against entrance of moisture, thereby permitting it ifin time to set and become perfectly hard and As demonstrating one way of carryingmy invention into effect, I have exhibitedin the accompanying drawingsa-form of 'mold that may be employed in carrying the invention into effect, it being understood that the invention is not to be restricted to any particular shape of post or any particular shape of mold, as it is equally Well adapted to posts of anycontonr that may be desired, and in the 'drawings Figure 1 is a view in perspective exhibiting the mold withthe sides folded'up, displaying I,the post in Positiontherein. Fig. 2 is a similanview with the sides turned down to permit the removal of the posts. In carrying my invention into effect I fill the mold 1,-which may be, as before stated,

of anypreferred shape, with a mass of damp sand, gravel, anclcement mixed in suitable proportions to produce the best results, and this composition .is pounded into the mold to cause a close adherence of the molecules of the composition, the sides 2 of the mold being closed up, as shown in Fig. 1, and held in this position by hooks 3 engaging staples 4 on the sides. To present the proper openings or holes through which the wires are passed for securing the fence wires in position against the post, I associatewith the mold a plurality of bars of metal 5, these to be of the required diameter to present the openings desired. When the composition has becomesufficiently set to permit of the post being handled without danger of breakingand before it has ,become finally set,*the sides of the mold are let down and-the postis removed from the mold and .-dipped into a bath of pure liquid Portland :cementof such fluidity as that it will run smoothly and evenly over the entire exposed surfaces of the post and fill all cracks, "crevices, and-interstices, except the openings leftby .thecba'rs 5, the walls of which openingsare likewisecoated with a film of the cement. By reason of the fact that the cement is in liquid form it will rapidly dry and therebypresent upon all of the exposed surfaces of the post an envelop or film of moistureproof materiah Should it be found that one dipping of the post is not sufficient, although it generally will be, it may be dipped one or more times, the point being in either event to effect a perfect closure of any opening that may exist upon the exposedsurfacesof the post. The post is then set aside until the coating shall have become thoroughly dried, and the posts may then be set in place for use. When so set up, 'it will 'be immaterial to what moisture it is exposed, as such moisture cannot gain entrance to the interior of the post, and in time the post will become thoroughly set and, as will be readily understood, increase in hardness with age.

Heretofore fence-posts have been given a surface coating by applying the surfacing material by means of a brush or otherwise smearing said material upon the post. This is a laborious operation, requiring considerable time and resulting in an unequal and unsatisfactory surfacing of the post. In View of this disadvantage it is the essential object of my invention to secure a uniform protective surfacing in an expeditious and thoroughly practical manner by dipping the post in a bath of liquid cement,which operation may be quickly carried out and results in a uniform coating without requiring the employment of skilled labor and also without particular attention upon the part of the operator.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the method herein described will not add any material expense to the production of the post, and by reason of the fact that the life of the post will be indefinitely increased its use will be highly beneficial in the manufacture of posts of this character, rendering them, in effect, indestructible.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim is- The herein-described method of making fence-posts, consisting in placing plastic material in a mold, permitting the same to remain therein until it has become hard enough to handle without breaking, then removing the molded material from the mold before it has become entirely set, and finally dipping the article one or more times in a bath of liquid hydraulic cement.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto alfixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD DAVIES.

\Vitnesses:

A. L. KINNEY, F. R. ROBSON. 

